Miniatur Wunderland: The Largest Model Railway in the World

I feel like I spend a lot of time in my home decorating, arranging things, and rearranging things. I want to make my little portion of the world just so. Then I take a look at Miniatur Wonderland, the largest model railway in the world, and realize that they've taken that whole mentality to the extreme!

In Hamburg, Germany, in the middle of the warehouse district, is the city's most popular tourist attraction, Miniatur Wunderland. For the past 10 years, visitors have been able to behold 1300 square meters of meticulously appointed models of Scandinavia, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and America. On over 1300 square meters, and having taken over 500,000 hours to create, this model is a sight to behold!

There are eight sections connected by 13 kilometers of track with over 900 trains running "night" and day. Each day in this little world lasts 15 minutes, and once the sun sets, nightlife begins. The scope of this project is difficult to convey in words and even photographs, as the choreography of the people, the cars, the boats, and the trains truly make this little world come alive! For a great 5-minute introduction to this universe, go watch The Wonderland in 5 Minutes.

With 40 manned computers running self-developed software keeping the world moving, there has clearly been a great deal of work put into this project. By 2020, they promise to open sections depicting areas of France, Italy, England, and Africa!

I suppose I don't feel as bad for the amount of time that I put into appointing my surroundings. It sure hasn't been 500,000 hours!